Cal Thomas is a conservative columnist. Bob Beckel is a liberal Democratic strategist. But as longtime friends, they can often find common ground on issues that lawmakers in Washington cannot.

CAL: Would it surprise you to know, Bob, that the first people who declared a "War on Christmas" were Christians?

BOB: Do tell.

CAL: In the 17th century, when a Puritan majority ruled the English Parliament, Puritans tried to remove things they regarded as pagan, including the public celebration of Christmas. They saw the holiday as an unbiblical waste of time, leading to immorality. In 1647, Parliament banned the celebration of Christmas, replacing it with a day of fasting.

BOB: Your grasp of history is impressive, but could we move forward 300 years or so and talk about today's "War on Christmas"? It seems to have grown over the last two decades in the United States.

CAL: Fortunately, no one is calling for a legislative ban on Christmas today, but some people promote the "war" notion each year at this time, and the "casualties" are people who believe that Christmas isn't about shopping but about something more profound: the birth of the savior of the world.

BOB: There are also those who may not be devout Christians but who want to celebrate in decorations, shopping and song. The War on Christmas crowd is impacting these Christians as well by attacking and sometimes succeeding in the removal of Christmas displays on public grounds in their hometowns.

CAL: You are right. Incidents abound, but often they aren't malicious. For instance, in a ludicrous incident in Frisco, Texas, a local PTA organizer tried to ban the Christmas tree and the colors red and green from an elementary school's "winter party." School officials got wind of it and complied with state law that allows the open celebration of Christmas.

BOB: The War on Christmas gang, in my opinion, is mostly agnostics and atheists who are very good at intimidating public officials. They force removal of public displays of Christmas by threatening lawsuits, and generating negative press coverage arguing for separation of church and state.

CAL: Not always. Some are more liberal churchgoers who have bought into the idea that Christians should be silent rather than offend people of other religions or none at all. That idea of restricting speech to avoid offense is practiced all year long on college campuses and newspaper-style books (illegal immigrants are now "undocumented"). At Christmastime, it is easy to see all the ways Christian traditions are attacked. You don't see movements to ban Hanukkah or the Muslim seasonal holiday known as Eid al-Fitr. Until recently, those who wanted to invoke Santa Claus and those who preferred to center on the Christ child pretty much co-existed. Some Christians enthusiastically go along with the shopping and symbols of the secular crowd, but there now seems to be less tolerance for religious symbols, words and music.

BOB:Christians represent the largest faith in the United States. As a result, they are the biggest target. But if the anti-Christmas crowd ever succeeds, other religions will be targets.

CAL: What examples of the war on Christmas have ruffled your feathers this year, Bob?

BOB: In the Bible Belt state of South Carolina, a preparatory academy was originally told it could not perform Christmas hymns such as Joy to the World because officials said they were threatened with a lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union. It turns out that the ACLU made no such threat, so embarrassed school officials have backed down. The Bordentown Regional School District officials in New Jersey tried to ban all religious Christmas music from its winter programs. After an outcry, they backed down, too.

BOB: I wish music was the only battle we have to fight in this year's war. One of the main targets of the War on Christmas are nativity scenes, which display the baby Jesus in a manger surrounded by Mary and Joseph, three "wise men" and shepherds. Volunteers at the Shaw Air Force Base chapel in South Carolina constructed a nativity scene, but senior officers in Washington ordered it taken down. They said the Air Force would prefer a display that represents more than one group.

CAL: "Diversity" and "tolerance" appear to be one-way streets when it comes to the religious practices of Christians. Liberals are big on "free expression" when it comes to some pretty outrageous stuff. Where are their voices on these things?

BOB: Frankly, liberals see the claims that there is a War on Christmas coming from far-right groups and instantly get skeptical. This is the same crowd that tries to defeat liberals each election cycle. So liberals justify their silence on the war because they don't want to make common cause with the their political enemies.

CAL: Too bad, because in the past conservatives and liberals have joined together on free speech issues to their mutual benefit and that of the country. I do think some Christmas celebrants make a mistake by expecting people who don't believe in the season's religious content to pretend as if they do. I wouldn't want to participate in religious or even secular events that don't reflect my beliefs, but that's a far cry from banning people from enjoying celebrations of what they believe. When it comes to Christmas, a double standard exists.

BOB: Right. If we are supposed to tolerate expression from the likes of Miley Cyrus and Kim Kardashian, a little more tolerance for Christians isn't asking too much. The lawyers should take the season off and enjoy it. I'm glad I can still wish you a Merry Christmas, Cal.

CAL: And you, as well, Bob. You are a gift to me that keeps on giving.